Archive for the ‘Parenting’ Category:

Summer has ended and kids are now back to school. Their summer program has also ended. My son, who took up piano lessons this summer, refused to join the recital. I guess he still has to overcome his stage fright. Next summer, he wants to learn the guitar and pay the electric guitar like the epiphone les paul silverburst. Oh well, as long as they are happy and more blessings would come for me to afford it…It won’t be a problem.

I love summer! especially when I know that the kids are home and I can spend quality time them and cook up vacations and even staycations — it’s enough to make me happy. For soon, I know they will have their own activities that won’t even include me at all. For now, I am still savoring the moment

I am blessed to have a wonderful and talented daughter like you. It gives me pride to see you grow up responsible and with full of dreams. Keep it up my daughter! The world is yours to conquer. Papa and I will always be there for you.

My prayer is that you continue to be strong in faith. The Lord will always lead you to the right path. I love you.

It’s summer once again and I have to think of ways to keep my kids busy.

After discussing with my children, and asked them what they like, my boy decided to take up piano lessons. He was also considering guitar lessons so he can also learn to use her sister’s nylon string guitar but I told him once you know how to read notes, it will be easy for you to read chords. So, piano lessons it is for him this summer.

As for my daughter, Hubby asked her to work for our newly opened office for the summer so she can help set up I say it’s a good training ground especially now that she has graduated from high school. It’s also a good time to bond with us, her parents before she goes into a boarding house next year.

When I hear about stories like teenage pregnancy, substance abuse and even too much partying among teenagers nowadays, I thank the LORD for guiding me through my decision of being a full-time Mom.

The bond between me and my kids are so strong that even though their Dad now takes them to school and I am back to working, they still come to me for everything. Admittedly, I get irritated at times when they have spent the whole trip to school with their father and still not say a word but when I think about it, I feel really guilty! That’s when I realize that it’s easier for my kids to approach me anytime cause we have spent more time together when they were growing up. How can I not understand that?

The other night Hubby and I were already at the brink of argument because my daughter comes home from school very late because of her PEP Squad training and her being part of a production in the school play. I had to remind my hubby that it is better that our kids are involved in school activities rather than in some other unproductive and life-destructing habits.

“Ninety percent of American high school students report that some of their classmates are using illicit drugs, including alcohol and tobacco, during the school day, a new survey found.

When asked to estimate how many were involved, these teens reported that about 17 percent of students — roughly 2.8 million — are abusing drugs during the school day, according to the survey.” – US News Health

Alarming indeed. That’s why there are a lot of facilities that cater to Drug Alcohol Detox Rehab, but what if you cannot afford one? I am sure those facilities like drug rehab los angeles can cost a fortune.

That’s why the responsibility falls on parents like me to keep these children away from the harmful vices and from peers who can influence them. Prevention is still better than cure.

The living room /receiving room is the first place visitors see when they enter your house. It makes a lot of sense to say that a sofa is one of the most important furniture purchases.

Before buying one, you should consider the space, the look that will fit your personal style, the usefulness, and of course one that adds character to the room.

In my hubby’s dictionary use comes before aesthetics. That’s why in every major purchase at home, I see to it that the efficiency of the item comes first before I look into its beauty. For instance, in a sofa, the fabric plays an important role to its usability and beauty. When the kids were growing up, we knew that a leather sofa would last more that the regular cloth. Since you cannot avoid kids jumping up and down on it even if you tell them not to, a leather fabric is a great idea. I do not have to worry about having it cleaned periodically. I remember having had a leveling feet placed on my old sofa cause one of the inner support broke down. It was because my son thought it was cool to practice his jumping skills. Hahaha! I could only laugh remembering it. And I did not lift a finger to replace it since it will be a futile exercise. Now that the kids are quite grown up, I have changed my sofa into a nice looking one with the fabric I want.

Yes, I will have a college student next year. Time flies so fast and I have been telling myself that for the past years. I sometimes cannot cope up with it. Oh well, I just have to make the most out of it.

Next month, my daughter will graduate from high school. What she is excited about right now is her graduation ball. I have hired someone to make her ball gown. The firs fitting went well last night and she is happy with the dress. Photos to follow — I don’t want to preempt the excitement.

As for the stage mom — that’s me! I have arranged everything to make her night a memorable one.

In my past posts, I have mentioned about my love for music — singing at that. Although, I cannot read musical notes that much, I can say that I can carry a tune and belt out high notes. Teeheeeheee. In my younger days, which is not that long ago , me and my friends would hang out in Karaoke bars and sing to our hearts content. It’s one way of releasing stress after a hard week at the office.

Last week as I got home from the office, I heard my son playing the piano. With his tablet in front of him. (Notice that he no longer uses musical sheets of paper but uses modern technology.) It was nice to hear him try his best to play the piano even without much formal training. Then my daughter would download chords of the same song and play it on the guitar. They are actually doing something together. Ahhhh… what a sight to behold.

I just sat on the couch and listen to them play. With a smile on my face, I am glad that my love for music has been passed on. Well, I do not only take the credit for that, hubby also plays the piano. No wonder the kids got it.

Now, to save up and let them have formal lessons for that and may be buy those epiphone guitars

As early as grade school, I have opened an account for my kids so they can start saving up and teach how to spend their money wisely. What goes in their account are savings from their allowances, gifts during their birthdays and Christmas, and me and my mom deposits extra cash whenever we have.

Next year, my daughter will enter college and now I am thinking of opening some sort of rechargeable credit cards or a debit card, so she won’t have to bring cash anywhere she goes. Especially if she’s riding the public transportation.

I am sure there is one bank instrument that can provide this where I am able to track my kid’s spending and remain connected even if she decides to live in a boarding house.

Oh well… time flies so fast! My eldest will soon be on her own while she studies college. Although I want to be at her side at all times, but I have too let her wing spread so she can find her own destiny.

As I have blogged before, music has been a great part of my life. At an early age, I have been exposed to singing, not professionally though, but by being a member of our parish children’s choir. Then as I was growing up, the choir has been my second family until I left to build my own career and family here in the Metro.

I find relaxation in singing. I remember we have our own karaoke set and I used to lock myself in the room and sing my heart out to the songs of my favorite singers like Whitney Houston and local singer Regine Velasquez.

Music provides me with a wonderful means of self expression. I would belt out imagining that I have my own MXL microphone and believe that I am on a stage performing with a live audience. Ain’t that sweet?

Music rests both my mind and body. It’s a way of relaxation for me. I sure wish I had the chance to improve my talent. But I guess I shouldn’t have any regrets. That’s why I keep telling my children that they should go for their dreams and pursue the things that will make them happy and that they should not depend on others or anything for happiness. Life is indeed your own choices.

One of the things that me and my kids love to do nowadays is to watch DVD and have a movie marathon. Now that they are on vacation, we have more time to catch up with the shows and movies we have missed. It’s one of the bonding moments I have with the kids.

As to what movie to watch? We take turns. One day my daughter will choose and the next my son, and then me. If hubby is free to join us, he gets to choose what movie to watch. Ain’t it fun? Bonding without spending too much.

With the technology available these days, you are not limited to watching movies with a DVD player, you can even watch it with your computer. You just need to have a media player that supports professional media formats like VLC. You can have the vlc download free via the internet.